Modular digital assistant

A multi-purpose, portable modular digital apparatus personalizable to a predetermined interactive function, the digital apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of different function imparting modules for providing a corresponding plurality of selected predetermined interactive functions, the plurality of predetermined interactive functions including at least one interactive function selected from a set of interactive functions including wireline telecommunication, wireless telecommunication, data transmission and reception, internet access, television broadcast reception, radio broadcast reception, card reading, disk reading, paging, gaming, audio programming, and video programming;
• wherein the function imparting module further includes a first processor, the first processor including instructions specific to the interactive function selected from the set of interactive functions;
• a receiving base unit holdable in a user's hand, engageable one at a time with each of the function imparting modules, wherein the receiving base unit includes a housing having a connector for removably engaging a selected one of the function imparting modules, the receiving base unit further including a second processor coupled to the connector and a user interface coupled to the second processor, the user interface including a visual, two dimensional display, the second processor including instructions solely for driving the user interface in accordance with the selected interactive function provided by the selected function imparting module;
• and wherein the selected interactive function of the selected function imparting module is user controlled via the user interface;
• and
• wherein input and output functionality for the functional imparting module is provided by the user interface of the receiving base unit.

A multi-purpose, portable modular digital apparatus comprising:

• a base unit, the base unit having a housing of a size adapted to fit into a user's hand;
• the base unit further including a user interface, a first connector, and a first processor coupled to the user interface and to the first connector, the first processor including instructions solely for driving the user interface;
• and
• at least one functionally specific module selected from a plurality of functionally specific modules, wherein each functionally specific module of the plurality provides a different interactive function selected from a plurality of interactive functions including a paging function, an internet access function, a data transmission and reception function, a wireline telecommunication function, a wireless telecommunication function, a television broadcast reception function, a radio broadcast reception function, an audible entertaining function, an audible and visual entertaining function, an interactive gaming function, a disk reading function and a card reading function;
• the functionally specific module removably couplable to the base unit and functionally interactive therewith;
• wherein the functionally specific module further includes a second processor, the second processor including instructions specific to the selected interactive function of the plurality of interactive functions:
• wherein the functionally specific module is adapted to provide, when coupled to the base unit, the selected interactive function of the plurality of interactive functions;
• and wherein the base unit and the functionally specific module when coupled together form a hand-held, integrated unit with the functionally specific module carried substantially fixed on the housing, wherein the first processor drives the user interface in accordance with the selected interactive function provided by the functionally specific module;
• and
• wherein input and output functionality for the functionally specific module is provided by the user interface of the base unit, and wherein the selected, interactive function of the functionally specific module is user controlled via the user interface.